The Tempest (2010)

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

This movie is worse than the room but at least there is a comical aspect in that. This is just cancer. It makes me want to choke myself to death everytime Ariel lures little kids into the woods

This is quite odd, because while I far from thought it was great, I seem to enjoy this movie a lot more than most people. It's probably because I know virtually nothing about "The Tempest" play. From what I've heard, it was reportedly the last play Shakespeare worked on. I just wanted to see a representation of a significant play in his career. I think I'm probably lacking some bias. If I was more familiar with the play like most people, I probably would find it a lot worse. I guess I'm lacking that bias so I think it's a lot better than it probably deserves.I really do like the colors in this movie and how bright everything is. It's hard to review something when the original play is more well known but I actually know little about the play. This certainly seemed to be an experiment for Shakespeare. I really couldn't help but love Russell Brand in this. Seriously, that guy's so much fun I wish I'd see him more. I guess what weighs this down is that it is kind of hard to take seriously. The effects do come off as pretty goofy in this, but I didn't think it was so bad. **1/2

A few years after my original review, I have re-watched some of this film and have tried to be kinder. This is my amended version. I am sorry to still have to be so negative and I'm sure others have enjoyed it, but I can only say what I think. Whenever I write a review, I always think hard about how to start. But in this case, it is easy. This could have been fairly good, but sadly it is a truly dreadful film. The difference between a good film and a bad film can be a few small things and usually they are the things that destroy the magic. The Tempest of course is all about magic but the film destroys it. Totally. I'm sure the idea was saleable, particularly with the then celebrity Russell Brand in a lead role, but things must have started to go downhill from then on. There must have been times when they wanted to cut their losses and abandon it, but they pressed on hoping the SPFX would rescue it - instead it just made it worse. Julie Traymor's direction leaves a lot to be desired - she seems to be constantly struggling to hold things together. The use of a female lead is baffling although the actor, Helen Mirren, who normally plays the Queen of England, does a good job and manages to hold the whole tottering mess in some sort of shape. Tom Conti, a fine actor, manages to get through the laughable screenplay with his dignity intact, as does Alan Cumming. Dijimon Hounsou however is the worst Caliban I have even seen, and I have seen quite a few - again a good concept that didn't work. Alfred Molina, again a fine if limited range actor manages to keep his head down and put in a passable performance. Russell Brand is unspeakably awful as Trinculo - an idiot over-acting if ever their was. Again, good concept but didn't work. Stuart Dryberg's cinematography is patchy. The early exterior shots are useful for a "how not to" at a film school truly some of the worst exterior lighting since Dad's Army. Look at the credits and you'll find a huge crew who managed under Taymore's direction to product a piece of rubbish - why didn't someone speak up for goodness sake? But perhaps they knew but with all that money at stake, just couldn't abandon things. A new director for sure, a lot of re-shoots, a new Trinculo perhaps could have rescued it. But perhaps not.I have worked on amateur productions of this fine play which have been infinitely superior to this awful film and I would not insult amateurs by describing this as amateur - it is nowhere near that quality.

I only caught the last quarter hour or so, and can't comment on the rest of it, but what I saw wasn't too shabby.Helen Mirren is pretty convincing as the magician. I don't care if Prospero underwent a sex change operation or not. It's a little surprising to see such echt-Hollywood types as David Strathairn and Chris Cooper tackling WS's often difficult prose and arcane references. Felicity Jones, as Miranda, is a knockout, regardless of her lines.And, as Caliban, Djimon Hounsou has some extremely funny moments being chased by dogs leaving trails of fire, his eyes bugging out like Mantan Moreland's. "Feets, don't fail me NOW!" The visual effects treat Ariel very nicely, suggesting his lightning-quick speed in a way that's hard to describe. He sort of leaves fading images of himself behind as he fulgurates away.Besides, it's always a pleasure to hear lines that are part of our common lexicon, or used to be. "We are such stuff as dreams are made on." Cripes, even Humphrey Bogart quotes it, or misquotes it, in "The Maltese Falcon." And it's great to sense the irony behind Miranda's, "O brave new world, that has such people in't," as she is introduced to a couple of scalawags -- even if the actress kind of throws the lines away.But I can't give it a higher grade because I'd really need to see the whole thing. Man, think about it. A sorcerer on an island, a monster, a sprite -- and an invitation to lather the viewer with a Niagara of horrifying special effects. I can imagine it now. A CGI volcano erupts. The modern city of New York descends from the heavens. Achilles and his myrmidons rise up from their graves and shrug the earth from their shoulders. Well, why the hell not? Mirren is a magician, isn't she? And we have the world of CGI at our disposal.However, the effects may not have been overdone in this instance, though the temptation was surely there. Anyway, judging from what I saw of it, it's enjoyable. I wish the island were a little less dark and chilly looking, but that's carping.